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Spreading Peace in a Violent World

Is it just me, or does violence seem to be growing? The savage behavior displayed in Charlottesville, Virginia unnerved me. That human beings could treat other human beings so callously is disturbing. I watched the evening news as people committed violence against others in order to forward their own personal beliefs. I wondered… what can I do? Violence is happening everywhere, all over the world. The list of terror attacks just during the month of August 2017 is appalling. What can any of us do?

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Nonviolence is an active force of the highest order.”

I believe those words with all my heart. I also believe something else Mr. Gandhi said: “Outward peace is useless without inner peace.”

I strive for inner peace. I meditate. I pray daily for my own inner peace and for the inner peace of those I love, and for the inner peace of all people around the world. I want to live in a world filled with Love and Light and Peace. I don’t know how else gain and maintain peace for myself and for everyone I come into contact with except to walk a path of peace. Gandhi said, “There is no path to peace. Peace is the path.”

I intend to walk this path as best I can and I urge you to do the same. If the old adage, “violence begets violence,” is true (and I believe it is), then let’s create a new and better adage to live by: PEACE BEGETS PEACE.

If you pray, pray every day for a peaceful world. If you meditate, take a few moments of your meditation time to send out a loving message to the world. If you’re not a person who prays, I urge you to simply sit quietly for a bit each day, focus on your heart, fill yourself up with a feeling of love, and imagine that love beaming out of your chest as pure white light. It might sound hokey, but please give it a try. You might find that you like the idea of becoming a Warrior of Peace.

What other ways could we work toward world peace? Leave your comments below.

Here are some other Gandhi quotes I love. Feel free to copy and paste them on your blog or social networks. The quotes in this post and the words for peace used below come from Gandhi International Institute for Peace.

The word for “Peace” in different languages:

Salaam – Arabic/Iranian

Heping –Chinese, Mandarin

Kapayapaan - Filipino

Paix - French

Friede - German

Irini - Greek

Maluhia - Hawaiian

Shalom - Hebrew

Shanti - Indian

Pace - Italian

Heiwa - Japanese

Pyonghwa - Korean

Pax - Latin

Mari Rangi Maria – Maori

Meleilei – Micronesia, Pohnpei

Mir - Russian

La Paz - Spanish

Amani - Swahili

Shite - Tibetan

Thanh Binh – Vietnamese

If you’re like me—disturbed by the violence in this world—go out and spread peace and love. Every day and in every way.